Is logging trees necessary for forests to remain healthy?
Forests do not need to be cut for their own health. In fact, removing old trees or dead standing trees and fallen dead trees retracts from the overall habitat quality of the forest. Many birds rely on standing dead trees to make their homes and gather food. Salamanders require decaying dead trees for their homes near the ground. Finally, some forests will never pass into a the next successional stage because some old growth tree species require decaying logs or tip-up mounds (the bare soil exposed after an ancient giant falls) in order to germinate and grow. This phenomenon has been notices (and scientifically documented) in northern Wisconsin. New logging practices are being enacted to deal with these issue: some dead wood is intentionally left behind and trees are harvested in large circle to mimic natural forest gaps. These high-light gaps also promote natural tree regeneration ensure the longevity of the forest with minimal human intervention. So forests can be harvested in a susta
